LIMA, Peru — Texas A&M swimmers Sarah Gibson and Claire Rasmus earned a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay for the United States. In team competition, Chennedy Carter led the USA women’s basketball team to the gold medal game and Camila Gomez helped Colombia to the medal round in volleyball.
Rasmus and Gibson were on the USA’s 7:57.33 winning relay team. Rasmus now has four gold medals for the competition and Gibson has two medals—but earned her first gold Friday.
Additionally, Angel Martinez earned a bronze medal in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, his second of the Pan American Games. In track and field, former Texas A&M volunteer assistant Ariana Ince claimed a bronze medal in the javelin.
Carter co-led the United States with 14 points in a 62-59 win over Puerto Rico in the women’s basketball semifinal game. Carter has scored 10+ points in three of the USA’s four games in the competition.
Gomez had 31 digs, her best effort of the tournament, as Colombia beat Canada 3-1 and advanced to the medal round. Gomez leads the Pan American Games in digs.
Tori Vidales went 1-for-3, but Mexico fell in extra innings in the softball semifinals, missing out on a medal.
Through Friday’s action, Texas A&M has earned a total of nine medals at the Pan American Games, including five gold medals.
The Pan American Games run through August 11, with coverage of many events on the ESPN family of networks.
Swimming – Rasmus, Gibson Collect Gold in 4x200m Freestyle Relay
Texas A&M’s former swimmers Claire Rasmus and Sarah Gibson helped the United States earn another gold medal in the women’s 4x200m freestyle style. Rasmus had a great leadoff leg in 1:59.17 to put Team USA out in front. Alex Walsh followed Rasmus, while Gibson swam third with a time of 2:01.75 and Meaghan Raab anchored. Team USA posted a 7:57.33 finish, two seconds in front of Canada (7:59.16).
Rasmus garners her third gold medal at the Pan Ams, previously winning gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay and in the 200m freestyle. Gibson was a bronze medalist winner in the 100m butterfly.
In the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, Angel Martinez gave the Aggies their third medal of the night. Martinez had a split of 1:51.29 to help Mexico finish in 7:19.43, behind Brazil (7:10.66) and the United States (7:14.82).
Former swimmer Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo represented Mexico in the women’s 400 IM. In the preliminary round, Gonzalez-Hermosillo finished fourth in her heat, touching the wall in 4:53.42. In the finals, she placed eighth after posting a time of 4:53.75. Gonzalez-Hermosillo capped off the night as a member of Mexico’s 4x200m freestyle relay team and had split of 2:06.52, as Mexico came in fifth.
Basketball – Carter Scores 14 To Lead USA To Gold Medal Game
Chennedy Carter scored a team-high 14 points, helping the United States to a nail-biting 62-59 win over Puerto Rico in the semifinal of the Pan American Games.
Carter added two rebounds, an assist and a steal to her total. Carter is averaging 10.3 points per game in the tournament, having scored 10+ points in three of the USA’s four games.
She has made 17 of her 37 field goals in the tournament, which ranks sixth among all players.
The United States, having guaranteed at least a silver medal, takes on Brazil at 9 p.m. CT Saturday on ESPN3 in the Gold Medal Game.
Volleyball – Gomez Guides Colombia to 3-1 Win Over Canada
Texas A&M’s Camila Gomez helped Colombia to a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 19-25, 25-20) win over Canada on Friday night at the Pan American Games. With tonight’s win, Colombia improves to 2-1 in Pool A in the preliminary round.
Gomez recorded a personal best 31 digs at the Pan Am Games as Colombia’s libero for all four sets. She holds her spot as the best digger and best libero through three matches.
Colombia is set to take on Brazil in the semifinals on Saturday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Callao Sports Center in Lima.
Track & Field – Bronze Medal for Ariana Ince in Javelin
Ariana Ince, a former Texas A&M volunteer assistant with the track and field program, earned a bronze medal in the javelin with a throw of 204 feet, 5 inches (62.32 meters) as she competed for the United States at the Pan American Games.
American teammate Kara Winger claimed gold with a stellar throw of 213-0 (64.92) among an impressive series. Winger, the Pan American silver medalist in 2015, opened with 207-8 (63.31) and then hit her winning mark in round two. Then Winger registered throws of 205-11 (62.78), 207-5 (63.23), 200-7 (61.15), and 205-0 (62.50).
“Kara’s series was absurd, which was really cool to watch,” noted Ince, who defeated eight-time US champion Winger at the USATF Championships last month. “Hopefully, I can work toward getting a series like that as opposed to four, far, foul, far. I was a bit up and down for sure, which means it’s time to work on some consistency.”
Ince’s medal winning effort came on her first throw and she was in silver medal position during the first four rounds of the competition. Canada’s Elizabeth Gleadle, the 2015 Pan American champion, passed Ince in round five with a throw of 207-8 (63.30).
“I’m usually a clutch thrower, and I thought ‘I totally got this’ and after my final throw I was like, ‘I don’t got this’,” said Ince.
Following a pair of intentional fouls on her second and third throws, Ince threw 191-4 (58.32) in the fourth stanza. After a third foul, Ince completed her day with a 200-10 (61.21) in round six.
This was the first time the United States produced a pair of medalists in the Pan American Games women’s javelin since 1979. Ince is also the second Rice University grad to claim bronze in the Pan American javelin, joining Canadian Valerie Tulloch from 1995.
Softball – Vidales Goes 1-for-3 As Mexico Finishes Fourth
Tori Vidales went 1-for-3, but it was not enough as Mexico fell 3-2 to Puerto Rico in eight innings in an elimination game at the Pan American Games. The winner of the game guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Vidales completes the tournament with a .471 batting average, which ties for second in the competition, and a .765 slugging percentage, which ranks sixth.
Texas A&M Lima 2019 Medal Count (9)
Gold (5)
Claire Rasmus – United States – Swimming (4x100m freestyle relay)
Claire Rasmus – United States – Swimming (200m freestyle)
Claire Rasmus – United States – Swimming (Mixed 4x100 freestyle relay)
Claire Rasmus – United States – Swimming (4x200m freestyle relay)
Sarah Gibson – United States – Swimming (4x200m freestyle relay)
Silver (1)
Lindon Victor – Grenada – Track & Field (decathlon)
Bronze (3)
Sarah Gibson – United States – Swimming (100m butterfly)
Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo – Mexico – Swimming (Mixed 4x100 freestyle relay – final)
Angel Martinez – Mexico – Swimming (Mixed 4x100 freestyle relay – prelim)
Angel Martinez – Mexico – Swimming (4x200m freestyle relay)
Tomorrow At The Pan American Games
Texas A&M has eight athletes in action on Wednesday at the Pan American Games, with the Gold Medal Game for Chennedy Carter in women’s basketball and semifinals for Camila Gomez in volleyball, and the final day of competition in track and swimming. Most events are streamed on ESPN3, with additional coverage at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on ESPNU (English) and at 8 a.m., on ESPN Deportes (Spanish).
August 10
Volleyball – Camila Gomez (Colombia) – vs. Brazil – 6:30 p.m. – ESPN3
Track and Field – Latario Collie (Bahamas), Lathone Collie (Bahamas) – Triple Jump – 5:35 p.m. – ESPN3
Track and Field – Shamier Little (United States) – Potential 4x400 m relay – 7 p.m. – ESPN3
Track and Field – Deon Lendore (Trinidad & Tobago) – Potential 4x400 m relay – 7:25 p.m. – ESPN3
Swimming – Finals – 8:30 p.m. – ESPN3
McKenna DeBever (PER) 200 IM, Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo (MEX) 200 IM, Angel Martinez (MEX) – 200 IM,
Basketball – Chennedy Carter (United States) – vs. Brazil – 9 p.m. – ESPN3
